


a latte a day

by orphan_account



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Crush at First Sight, Falling In Love, First Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:08:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23943685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Jihoon enters the newly-opened coffee shop down the street. He goes back for more, partly because of the coffee, but mostly because of the cute barista whose name tag read: Cheol :D.
Relationships: Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Lee Jihoon | Woozi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 58





	a latte a day

When Jihoon steps out of the apartment building, he is greeted by a cold breeze and soft daylight. The neighbour's cat is sitting the front porch steps, like she always does. On other circumstances, he would have stopped by to pet her. But today, he is in a hurry.

As he walks down the sidewalk, he scans for cafés that didn't have absurdly long queues. It is 8 AM, and he's running late for his lectures. Although he is completely aware of this, he still decides to grab his daily dose of caffeine.

His friends tell him he needs to take it easy with the coffee. He does not agree with them. What harm will a single cup of coffee a day do to him, anyway?

After a few minutes of strolling, Jihoon finally sees a place that looked worthy enough. There are only 2 people in line at the moment, and not even half of the tables are occupied.

It is a newly-opened café, he notices. There was a banner on top that said, "GRAND OPENING!!! APRIL 28, 2020."

 _So three days ago,_ Jihoon duly notes. He was skeptical. Usually, there would be lots of people trying out places that just opened—for a new taste, they's say. But Jihoon didn't dwell on his thoughts.

Right now, he needed coffee, and he needed it fast. Not wanting to be late, he enters the coffee shop, leaving all of his second thoughts behind.

He clutches onto his laptop messenger bag as he waits in line, checking his watch every ten seconds. Maybe he was being paranoid, now, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

It is now 8:17 AM, and the one thing that crosses Jihoon's mind is, _Why am I here? I need to be in class._ But he was already the next person in line and there was no turning back.

When the person in front of him finally leaves, he comes in face to face with a man with a bright gummy smile, and a handwritten name on a printed tag that spelled: Cheol :D —yes, smiley face included.

The second thing that crosses Jihoon's mind is, _Yeah, maybe being 30 minutes late would be fine._

"What can I get for you, sir?" _Cheol :D_ asks him, ready to punch in his order.

Jihoon is starstruck for a moment. He blinks away from the man and looks at the menu, but his mind seems to be empty and not processing words properly. He purses his lips in a tight smile and stares at _Cheol :D._

"Is your name really just Cheol?"

The man looks like he's stifling a laugh. "It's short for Seungcheol."

"Okay, what are your recommendations, Seungcheol?" Jihoon finally asks him. "Since you guys are new in town, and all."

Seungcheol hums, seemingly in deep thought. He clicks his tongue and says, "You look like you'd want some latte."

Jihoon nearly chokes. _Latte?_

He must look constipated, because Seungcheol then asks him, "Are you okay? Do you not want some latte?"

Jihoon waves him off. "I'm fine. I'm fine. I'll have coffee—black, by the way."

Seungcheol punches in the order, but Jihoon doesn't miss the way he pouts as he does. And then, Seungcheol giggles. "I guessed your choice wrong."

Jihoon has always been berated by his friends for drinking caffeine daily, but now that he sees Seungcheol pouting like a child for guessing his coffee choice wrongly, Jihoon suddenly thinks, _I think I regret my coffee choices now._

Seungcheol smiles at him, nonetheless. Before he turns to the brewing area, he tells Jihoon, "One black coffee coming right up."

So, he was the one at the counter _and_ the barista? No wonder it was kind of a slow day for this café. There was only one person on the job.

Jihoon checks his watch and it's 8:20 AM, but he doesn't feel as panicked as he was three minutes ago.

Seuncheol comes back with the coffee 4 minutes later. He hands the coffee in a paper bag to Jihoon, with a smile gracing his features Jihoon accepts it with tightly pressed lips. He mumbles a quick, _thanks,_ and leaves the area immediately, to catch a bus.

Jihoon doesn't drink his coffee on the bus, he's afraid it would cause a mess. So, when he gets off the bus and arrives on campus, that's when he opens the paper bag.

A small piece of paper gently drops to the ground, probably the receipt—which is quite unimportant—but Jihoon picks it up, anyway.

It was, in fact, not a receipt, but _Choi Seungcheol's phone number._

_xxxx-xxx-xxx :)) youre a cutie, come again soon?_

Jihoon feels his cheeks heating up, and probably turning red. In spite of feeling flustered, he pockets the small piece of paper.

Maybe he'd need it later; who knows?

-

That night, Jihoon sends Seungcheol a text message. He didn't know why, but it felt like his heart was doing somersaults in his chest as they spoke.

 _Could it be?_ Jihoon shakes his head at his own thoughts. He didn't have a crush, he just wants to get to know Seungcheol better. And be his friend.

 **Jihoon:** hey. im the guy from the cafe.

 **Jihoon:** didnt think you'd give me your number tbh

**Seungcheol:** oh!!!!! the cutie??

 **Seungcheol:** didnt think youd text but im happy you did :D.

 **Seungcheol:** i didnt quite catch your name

**Jihoon:** my name's jihoon.

**Seungcheol:** it suits you

**Jihoon:** what is that supposed to mean?

**Seungcheol:** it's a pretty name, and you're pretty. 

**Jihoon:** oh? thanks

 **Jihoon:** anywayyy i think i need to go to bed lol uni has been a pain in the ass

 **Jihoon:** i go to pleiades arts

**Seungcheol:** pleiades arts? i go there too!!

 **Seungcheol:** and goodnight!!

Jihoon sends a thumbs up emoji and smiles to himself. That was a bold move, to text a cute boy first, but he had done it and it went well.

Jihoon drifts off into a soundless and peaceful sleep.

-

It is the next day, and Jihoon goes back to the café, even though he didn't really want coffee. But the other time he had been there, he saw pastries on display, and he figures, he could get one as an excuse to see barista boy again.

And now, he's walking out of the apartment building, on his way to university, like the same scenario yesterday, except this time he wasn't running late. In fact, today, he had a few minutes to spare.

He takes a left turn confidently. It was a route he'd memorized all too well—the coffee shops were lined up around this area.

And then, Jihoon arrives at his destination. The bell on top of the door jingles when he opens it to enter. He didn't notice that yesterday, so it must have been new.

There was only one person in front of him, so he didn't have to wait much. But when the customer before him leaves, it is not Seungcheol's bright and happy face that greets him.

"Hey, I'm Junhui," the guy behind the counter beams at him. Though, it is not as bright as Seungcheol's smile. "What can I get you?"

Maybe Jihoon was just being biased. "A latte."

Junhui punches in his order with ease. He then speaks to the barista at the back, "One latte!"

"Got it!" The barista replies. It was a voice that was so familiar to Jihoon.

Junhui must have noticed his eyes wandering to the back, because he snaps Jihoon back to reality.

"Hey? Are you okay?"

Jihoon blinks and then shrugs. "Yeah, just thought I heard someone."

Junhui's eyes widen in realization and his mouth forms an 'o' shape. "You're Jihoon, aren't you?"

"Yes?" Jihoon chuckles awkwardly. "How did you know?"

"Seungcheol told me all about you," Junhui teased. "Don't worry, he's gonna come out to give your drink personally to you. You'll see him."

Jihoon nods. Junhui goes to the kitchen for a while and soon enough, Seungcheol comes out from the back, carrying a cup of latte for Jihoon.

"You don't seem to be in a hurry," Seungcheol points out. He tilts his head to one of the empty booths. "You want to, uh, sit and chat. for a while?"

"I'd like that," Jihoon replies quietly. When he takes a sip of the coffee, he feels a burst of emotions bubbling in his chest.

He's never liked lattes, but this was by far the best tasting coffee he's ever had in his entire life. It wasn't even comparable to his usual cup of black coffe.

And perhaps it was because of Seungcheol, the barista boy, sitting across him with a dopey smile on his face.

When Jihoon observed Seungcheol's facial features, several thoughts cross his mind.

_His eyes are beautiful. Has he always been this handsome? His smile is so bright. He's comforting._

And then,

_I think I'm falling in love with him._

Jihoon snaps himself back to reality when he hears Seungcheol ask him a question.

"How is it?"

"It's great."

Jihoon honestly regrets not getting a latte on the first time he came here.

**Author's Note:**

> idk i wrote this in like 2 hours probably sucked but kahfksjfksn excuse the typos


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